A plane touched down at Erie International Airport days ago carrying 146 migrant children from the United States-Mexico border crisis. 

Erie is just one stop of many that these children have made on their journey from Central America. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection say most of these migrant children have come from places like Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, totaling over a thousand miles. Many of these kids took the majority of this trip on foot, a cause for concern for Erie Podiatrist Dr. Rick Tomassi.

He specializes in foot injuries, and says it's hard to know now, but the potential injuries these kids are facing could impact them for the rest of their lives.

"Anything from cuts, bruises, lacerations, sprained ankles - when you walk that far, and you're that young, I'm sure that there are injuries to deal with," says Dr. Tomassi. 

When Tomassi thinks about these kids, he says he just wants to be able to help. 

"It's the best country in the world," says Tomassi. "These kids are coming here for a reason, and it's up to us to help them." 

He sees foot injuries all the time, and expects the migrant children to need specialized care. That's why he wants to offer his services for free.

"I can't imagine what these children have gone through to walk all these miles, and to come to America in the manner that they have come," says Tomassi. "I can't wrap my head around it, but they're coming to the best country in the world and this is where they'll get the best care." 

It's not only Dr. Tomassi that wants to help. Arielis Maldonado is a medical assistant at the practice. She says she can't imagine what these kids are going through.

"They miss their moms," said Maldonado. "Not having that here is hard," says Maldonado. 

That's why when Dr. Tomassi asked Maldonado if she wanted to volunteer her time.

"I said yes right away. I didn't even think about it," says Maldonado. 

Tomassi isn't sure whether or not their offer of helping will be accepted or needed. He just wants the kids over on Oliver Road to know people here in Erie care.

"If we aren't able to help, we want these kids to know that people in America care," says Dr. Tomassi. "We are all here for them."